Where it all started

In April of 2006 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctor performed a lumpectomy and felt like he got a clear margin. I heard at that time one out of every eight women get breast cancer. I was gathering anybody who wanted to be in my circle of eight so I could take one for the team. Everybody has cancer cells in their body. However, in my situation you just don’t know if there were cancer cells in other parts of my body already developing. I did not do any type of chemotherapy or radiation. A year and a half went by and I started feeling pain in my back. I thought I had simply overextended myself and felt a little rest would relieve the pain. Two and a half months later I was still feeling the pain and it was getting worse. I went to several doctors and got several x-rays and ultrasounds. They couldn’t figure out what was wrong. By March of 2008 I decided to do an MRI. By that point I couldn’t even get out of bed. Standing, sitting, or walking was excruciating and I could only do that for about 30 seconds before I had to lay down. Lying flat was my only source of relief. The word ‘excruciating’ had never entered my vocabulary before. The MRI showed I had a crushed vertebrae. No wonder why I was feeling so much pain when I stood. My back couldn’t hold the pressure of standing. Realizing at that point the cancer was back, no pun intended. It had eaten away at the vertebrae. Surgery was performed to put a little dollop of “cement” in that vertebrae. Oh, that felt much better. Two months after the surgery the pain was almost gone.

Right after the cement surgery I had a PET Scan to see the extent of how much cancer was in my body. It was in my spine, right hip, and neck. I had four weeks of radiation in my spine and started Zometa a bone strengthening injection and Fulvestrant a monthly cancer treatment shot. The cancer count was going down from March to July. But by August it went back up. Another PET Scan (on August 4) found it was now eating away at my right hip and in my lungs and liver. The doctors were fearful I would break my hip so they immediately started radiation on my right hip.

That brings us to today. The radiation lasts ten days, I’m seven days into it. I’m feeling better, I don’t have as much pain in my hip. I really didn’t have much pain to begin with, I only noticed pain if I would pivot on it wrong. I had a visit with my doctor today to find out now what type of chemotherapy we should start. My hopes were high and I felt optimistic. My daughter Mauri went with me to the doctor. We had our pad of paper with all our questions ready. Sometime next week, he wants to start me on Xeloda. He will continue the Zometa, the bone strengthening injection. Xeloda is chemotherapy in a pill form. There are lots of side effects, like, blisters on the palms of my hands or bottom of my feet, sores in my mouth, and nausea. Attitude wise, I’m ready to tackle this. I feel strong and healthy. I try to walk or ride my bike as often as I can. And the doctor told me to continue my daily regime as long as I don’t feel any pain. So if any of you want to go for a walk or bike ride, give me a call.

Mauri had the wonderful idea to start this blog. I will post as often as I can and express my thoughts and feelings and what's going on in my life.

I don’t know why people are dealt the cards they have but I’ll play this hand and pray for an Ace up my sleeve. Today the doctor told me 50% of people in my situation will die within two years. I however, will be in the second 50% and I’ll still be sitting here in twenty years. I have three children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren. The seventh one will be born in December. I still have lots of baptisms, graduations, and weddings ahead of me. One of those graduations is mine. And you’re all invited!!! I only have four classes left at BYU and I’ll get my Bachelors.

I appreciate all your love, support, and prayers. A person can never have too many friends.